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Last night I made a list of all my memories of the first couple years of business. It’s all blurring together, but it starts to come back more and more as you write it down. I don’t want to forget those moments, even if they feel so far behind me. As a bonus, this timeframe was also the same as Alex and me falling in love, so all the memories are special. One big memory was setting up this insane photo and video space outside every single weekend on a picnic table at our apartments (Alex was the boy upstairs!). It would be my camera on a gooseneck tripod, attached to a paper towel holder, with a jar filled with water weighing down the bottom of the paper towel holder so it didn’t fall over. This background was (obviously) marble contact paper on a foam board, and I would lug literally boxes of calligraphy supplies outside so I could take a million videos at once in the good lighting that didn’t exist in my apartment. Those photos and videos had to get me through the week, because I worked full time and couldn’t take photos during the day on weekdays. And after all this work, I’d write really profound things, like the word “videos” 😂 (in my defense Instagram limited us to 15s back then!) Swipe to see a few that came from this era circa 2015ish. Again, it all really blurs together. My setup is a little more clean and convenient now, but the cute boy who lives upstairs still comes to check in on me every now and again, so that’s good ❤️ . . . #tbt #throwback #progresspics #progress #calligraphyvids #calligraphyvideos #calligraphy #moderncalligraphy #moderncalligrapher #calligrapher #lefty #lefthandedcalligrapher #leftycalligraphy #leftycalligrapher
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I don’t know why “self-care” is such a trendy topic these days. Most business owners I interact with (myself included) are wayyyy too good at self-caring. It’s easy to scroll Instagram for an hour, or take a nap in the middle of the day, or go to lunch for 2 hours and call it self-care. It’s not to say these things are bad - we can (and absolutely should) make work fun and easy and flow with our needs, but for me discipline has been the best form of self-care I’ve ever experienced. Crossing off the hard stuff on my to-do list first means I can be flexible with my time later and do things that are usually more important than napping, even if they don’t feel as good in the moment. Waking up early every day gives me time for myself in the gym. Putting away my phone saves time for Alex or Bodie, or a long phone call with a friend. And yeah, getting my shit done allows me to take a nap when I need that too. None of this would be possible without discipline. I know there’s space in my life for flexibility *because* I’ve made that time purposefully and because when I *am* working, I’m working smarter and prioritizing in the right way. I’ve also worked hard to create this life that I want - one that gives me space and freedom and makes my “work” feel a lot like self-care. There’s no part of me that wants you to work harder and harder until all the fun is sucked out of your life. But this trendy “self-care” attitude is limiting you to a cycle of punishment and reward that classifies your work as the punishment and everything else as the reward. I’m talking about wedding industry burnout in stories - this is the cause! This is one of the reasons you feel burnt out while still not seeing the results you want (this is also why everyone thinks entrepreneurs just scroll Insta and nap all day!). Instead, let’s grow up and figure out how to get our shit done - outsource it, get help with it, practice it, or find a way to reframe it so you can enjoy or appreciate it. And THEN go take a nap if you need one 😉 . . . #selfcare #selfcaretips #businesstips #womeninbusiness #femaleentrepreneurs #workforyourself #empoweringwomen #fempreneur #hbic #girlboss #womenempowerment💞
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@carleyzuercher has been my coworker for the past 2 years - she challenges me and pushes me and makes fun of me and overall makes me better at business and at life. So we were thinking that some of y’all probably miss having coworkers too - and that you may want us to be your faux-workers (see what I did there?!) next week! Join us for Six Figure Stationer - if I had to sum up the ~vibe~ of this curriculum we’ve got planned, it would be this: teaching you how to get out of your own way so you can level up. It’s the most vibe-y work I’ve personally done before, and I know that those of you who are drawn to it are going to have a blast. Plus you can even level up further and get a Mastermind group for the next 8 weeks after the group coaching ends. Coworkers for life, basically ❤️ With Covid still raging this year - it’ll do us all good just to have a week of real connection and I’m most excited for you all to hang out with us 😍 Get all the deets at the link in my bio! . . . #weddinginvites #weddinginvitations #sixfigures #stationers #stationer #stationerydesign #stationerydesigner #invitationdesign #invitationdesigner #invitationbusiness #weddingstationer #makemoney #coworkers #weddinginvitationdesign
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Did anyone hear? We got married! I totally didn’t share any of it so you may not have heard 😂 Y’all asked about the dress a lot which I’ll cover soon (we only have 2 photos to share right now!!!). But you also asked how it felt/how it feels being married! I’m not great at emotions but it feels simultaneously the same and different. Everything good seems extra large and everything annoying seems extra small right now. It’s very cool that someone so amazing has chosen to spend a life with me - and that he’s so excited about being my husband! No self-deprecation here...it’s just honestly a really wonderful feeling, especially when I’m equally excited to spend my life with him. The ceremony itself was perfect - our parents flew in our best friend to officiate, they spoke, and we had written vows that were extremely purposeful and felt like us. The last 7 days have been, to quote Alex, “blissful”. We’ve been having such a great time - our mini-moon was honestly the best. Nothing insane happened but we were relaxed and just being together and I was basically giddy with happiness (and also a little drunk). There were moments throughout the weekend where I definitely felt like important people were missing - some because of Covid, some just because of life and death. At the same time, so many went above and beyond to make us feel special and appreciated and loved from afar. This week has also been scarred with a couple tragedies amidst all of our happiness, which confuses my emotional compass as well. I’m feeling so lucky to have 2 new brothers and be a part of this giant new family that I already love so much!!! No one has really called me Mrs. Ruddell or wife in person yet which will probably really freak me out for a while 😂 Overall, not much has functionally changed but everything has emotionally changed and I’m still figuring it all out ! But mostly I love you, husband ❤️ . . . Photo @allisoneasterlingphotography. . . #weddingphotos #weddingphoto #denverwedding #denverweddings #cowedding #coweddings #microweddings #microwedding #newmrs #newhusband #newwife
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See ya at the altar in ✌🏼days @ajrudeboy ! Y’all can call me Mrs. Rude Boy after Monday 😂❤️. . . #engaged #engagement #engagementparty #engagementshower #engagementphotos @caitsphoto #engagementshoot #2020bride #2020wedding #2021bride #2021wedding #postponedwedding #microwedding
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This one is a good call out! Tag someone below who helped your business to say thank you! ❤️ For me there are too many to even think about - @whimsiqueinvitations for endless advice and guidance. @carleyzuercher for being my every day cheerleader and coach. @amandadayrose both for starting a community that taught me a lot and for being my friend and listening ear. @wildwoodcalligraphyandpost for being so freaking supportive and helpful in a million ways. @thepaintgrind for more things than I can count personally and professionally. And at least 16 people who probably don’t want me to tag them because they use Instagram for real life and not business but still support me despite the 382 daily Stories I post. Sorry and thank you, real life friends AND equally-valid internet friends. ❤️❤️❤️ . . . #thankyou #gratitude #grateful #weddingweekend #ifyouseethis #weddinginvites #weddinginvitations #ceo #businesstalk #womeninbusiness
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Harsh truths brought to you courtesy of MATH. . . . #hourlyrate #hourlyrates #artistsofinstagram #femalepreneur #artists #artistlife #runningabusiness #sellyourart #sellingyourart #howtoprice #pricingyourart #pricingyourwork #hustleandheart #hustleathome #mompreneur #femaleentrepreneur #girlboss #bosslady #ladyboss #ceo #hbic #womeninbusiness #stationerydesigner #stationerydesign #custominvitations #invitationbusiness #stationerybusiness #sidehustle #makemoneyathome
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This was my first really hard project. Not because of the client - she was INCREDIBLE and kept saying my dream words like “let’s add more color” and “mixing patterns is fun”. It was hard because it was the first suite I’d made that made me feel inadequate. I had many moments where I literally didn’t think I was up to the challenge. I’d followed “say yes and figure it out later” and I felt like I just wasn’t figuring it out later. Now, it’s one of my most-beloved suites by you all and by me, and so are my top 3 “hardest” projects I’ve had to date. We all get imposter syndrome. We all feel like we’ve gotten in over our heads sometimes. Those are the moments I think that separate business owners who are going to make it and those who aren’t - there’s a way to move forward that’s collaborative, that’s professional, and sometimes that even means parting ways if you’re just not the right fit. It’s not giving up, it’s not finding blame, and it’s not letting your fear take over and paralyze you. And sometimes you end up with something like this that’s even better than you could’ve imagined! . . . #weddinginvites #foilinvites #foilinvitations #weddinginvitations #modwedding#modernwedding#uniquewedding#fashionwedding #bluewedding #colorfulwedding #rainbowwedding #invitations #custominvites #custominvitations #stationerydesign #weddingplanner #sandiegowedding #femalepreneur #femaleentrepreneur #girlpreneur #hustleandheart #girlboss
